THAT SUMMER by JO HUDDLESTON

This book reminds me of a coming of age story. The setting was described very well and detailed the hard times people went through in the late 1920s. It was hard to find work to support your family during those hard years. Our main character in the book is Jim. He is a hard working young man who tries to please his dad but it doesn't seem to be enough. Jim's dad is quite abusive at times and the entire family tries to stay out of his way. Jim's mom was a very  sweet lady and loved her family. After awhile Jim decides he has had enough and leaves his home for the city.

Jim hopes once he reaches the city he can find work and give some money to his mom to help out. He did worry about his siblings and mother but hopes he can prove to his father he can make it on his own. The story flowed with ease and gives us a sense of what it was like growing up during the depression. I can just  imagine people going door to door looking for work and the discouragement they felt as they were told there is no job available. I loved Jim's never give up attitude as it continued throughout the story.

I don't want to give a lot of the story away but I will say it was a very emotional read at times. Jim has to find his way back to his roots and will learn hard lessons along the way. I liked how the author used temptation to show how easy it is to stray away from God. Will Jim fall for the first girl he meets? Sometimes we make wrong decisions but God is always there to help us. There are several characters in the book that will have a great impact on Jim's life. I loved the feeling of watching the story unfold before me and how each decision or wrong turn in Jim's life defined his next journey. It is a wonderful story that shows us how faith and love are so important as we go through our lives. You don't want to miss this inspiring story of a young boy that starts a journey to make his life better and the lessons he learns along the way. I loved the ending and it made the story come to a beautiful close with happiness and a few surprises.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Bookfun.org. The review is my own opinion.